Rather gloomily Clancy and Ballard bade Chip and Barzy good-by, and wished them luck. The uncertainty in which Clancy and Ballard were left was not at all soothing to their nerves.
Blunt proceeded silently with Merriwell to the corral. It was not until they were mounted, and galloping stirrup to stirrup toward the Ophir Mine on their way to Dolliver’s that Blunt allowed himself to talk.
“It was Dolliver that got you on the wire, Chip?”
“Yes,” Frank nodded.
“What sort of a powwow did he give you?”
“I told Clan and Pink practically all of it, Barzy. Dolliver said that some one was just at his ranch and wanted him to telephone to me. It was noon, and this person who wanted the message sent told Dolliver he thought I could be caught at the Ophir House without any trouble; but, if I wasn’t there, then Dolliver was to try and get you.”
“Dolliver didn’t say who the fellow was that wanted one or t’other of us?”
“I asked him that, but he wouldn’t answer. He said I was to come to his place as quick as I could, was to bring just one person with me, and wasn’t to tell anybody but my companion about the message nor where I was going.”
“Suffering cats!” Blunt exclaimed. “This has got me worked up a-plenty, Chip. It’s a whale of a mystery, eh?”